Just when we thought we might have a handle on the Infinity Ward/Call of Duty situation, G4tv.com reports that the Call of Duty game due in 2011 and the CoD action/adventure planned for Sledgehammer Games are two separate projects. They have an internal Activision memo that makes this distinction, saying: "2010 is expected to be another big year for Call of Duty, with Treyarch developing a new title for fall release, Infinity Ward's downloadable content for Modern Warfare 2 in the works now, and a new Call of Duty title expected to be released in 2011. In addition, Sledgehammer Games is in development on a Call of Duty title in the action-adventure genre."

The NVIDIA Driver Downloads Page now features new version 196.75 WHQL-certified drivers for NVIDIA accelerators. The new drivers offer performance improvements, add support for next-generation ION, add support for GeForce GT 320, GeForce GT 330, and GeForce GT 340, upgrades the PhysX system software to version 9.10.0129, and upgrades their HD audio driver to version 1.0.9.1 for supported GPUs. Thanks Voodoo Extreme.

There's another interesting tidbit in Activision Blizzard's annual 10K filing that mentions Blizzard is working on "sequels" to the Diablo franchise. Diablo III is the only Diablo sequel that's been announced, so it's not clear if this means another Diablo game is in the works, if this refers to Diablo III DLC, or if they plan to release Diablo III in installments as they plan to with StarCraft II (it also could just be a typo, but those are pretty rare in financial reports). Here's what it says: "Blizzard is currently developing new games, including a new expansion pack to the World of Warcraft franchise, Cataclysm, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, which will be released with the new and improved Battle.net, and sequels to the Diablo franchise." IncGamers contacted Blizzard with an inquiry about this, and were told: "We appreciate the interest, but we don't have any new announcements to make. For the Diablo franchise, our full focus is on Diablo III."

Steam News announces that a new version of the Steam client is now automatically available, fixing a few bugs, including "really" fixing offline mode not always working. There's also a new automatic update for Defense Grid: The Awakening, for which the patch notes follow. Continue here to read the full story.

Disney Interactive Studios announces that Alice in Wonderland is now available in U.S. stores for Windows, Wii, DSi, and DS as an adventure game tie-in with the upcoming Alice in Wonderland movie from director Tim Burton. Here's a bit:

Alice in Wonderland introduces fans to an entirely new style of innovative gameplay that will challenge the puzzle solving skills of experienced players, while making the adventures accessible and enjoyable for Underland's newest visitors. Along the way are lessons about the importance of friendships and loyalty, as well as self discovery. A variety of combat, puzzles and exploration will give all audiences something to enjoy and replay. In addition, Underland is famous for its familiar cast of characters and in the games, Disney Interactive Studios developers have followed suit, giving each "cast member" unique abilities to aid player in evading traps and solving puzzles.

The Wii and PC versions also feature an upgradeable combat system, in which players collect "impossible ideas" to unlock Underland's secrets. Players must carefully select the supporting characters and their abilities to defeat the many enemies set forth by the Red Queen and her army of cards.

The Metro 2033 Website has been re-launched in preparation for the imminent launch of 4A Games' upcoming post-apocalyptic shooter. The site offers a new trailer showing off some cinematics and gameplay from the game. They also note that anyone who preorders the game through the THQ Online Store will get a free copy of Red Faction: Guerrilla.

Indie Fund is a new "angel" funding site for independent productions formed by a bunch of indies who have already achieved some success: Ron Carmel and Kyle Gabler of 2D BOY (World of Goo), Jonathan Blow of Number None (Braid), Kellee Santiago of thatgamecompany (flOwer), Nathan Vella of Capy (Critter Crunch), Matthew Wegner of Flashbang Studios (Off-Road Velociraptor Safari), and Aaron Isaksen of AppAbove Games (Armadillo Gold Rush). The new outfit is based on principles in a GDC talk called Indies and Publishers: Fixing a System that Never Worked. Word is they're already backing some projects, which will be revealed soon. Here's the deal: "Indie Fund is a brand new funding source for independent developers, created by a group of successful indies looking to encourage the next wave of game developers. It was established as a serious alternative to the traditional publisher funding model. Our aim is to support the growth of games as a medium by helping indie developers get financially independent and stay financially independent." Gamasutra has an interview with 2D BOY's Ron Carmel, who is the group's spokesperson.

• GameStop DJ Hero Competition.

• Two Worlds II on Hooked Gamers.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• PlayStation 3 gaming console clock bug 'fixed'.
• Sony Buys LittleBigPlanet Dev Media Molecule.
• IllFonic Brings Underground Arena FPS Nexuiz to Console Gamers.
• Sony Trademarks Rumored Motion Controller Name ‘Arc’ In Japan.
• NSFW- Heavy Rain Glitch Brings Playable, Accidental Nudity.
• Play Guitar By Flexing Alone: Microsoft Research's Muscle-Computer Interface.
• Xbox 360 Splinter Cell Conviction Special Edition Bundle.
• Forza 3's New Copy Bonus DLC Now Available to All, VIP Pack Sales Benefiting Haiti Relief.
• Tulsa World: Tulsa-based Tornado Studios releases 'Project Runway' video game.
• Xbox LIVE Games on Demand: Fallout 3 and STREET FIGHTER IV.
• Get Your Blur Beta Codes Here.
• Sony: How to recover PS3 Trophies.

• THQ Closes Universomo.
• The Myth of iPhone App Piracy. Thanks Mike Martinez.
• Lunar: Silver Star Harmony Now Shipping.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• Phenom II X6 Spy Photos.
• GPU Shortage Unlikely to be Solved Before May.
• Driven to Distraction - Electronic Billboards Called Another Driving Distraction.
• Some things we may not see again from Apple.
• BFG Tech Announces Customer Appreciation Sale.
• USB 3.0- The new speed limit.
• Apple Threatened Me With Legal Action For Selling a Broken Step From Their Store. Thanks [H]ard-OCP.
• Mythbuster: I can build Ferguson a robot sidekick.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• U.S. to Reveal Rules on Internet Security.
• Opera version 10.5 is now available. Thanks Ant.
• For the Internet, New Connections With Peering.
• Facebook: Social Gaming Will Have Its Killer App Soon.
• What’s This Crazy #repomen Thing on Twitter?
• Microsoft gives web users access to rival browsers.

• Prince of Persia Action Figure Extravaganza…
• Cliff Bleszinski says he wants to make a dancing with the stars game…
• Mirror's Edge Was Seven Years In The Making…
• Analysis: How VVVVVV Unlocks The Creativity Chocolate Box. Thanks Mike Martinez…
• RagnarTornquist.com Shut Down…

Link of the Day: If Chess Were Invented By MMOG Developers. Thanks Ant via Boing Boing, where a comment links to an old post on Blizzard Chess.

Activision has announced the formation of a new unit to run the Call of Duty series, also confirming reports of the departure of former studio heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, according to Reuters. Word is: "An Activision spokesman declined to provide any details beyond the filing, but said the departure of the Infinity Ward executives and the decision to form a new business unit for 'Call of Duty' were unrelated." The story also says: "The new 'Call of Duty' business unit will be led by Philip Earl, who currently runs Activision Publishing's Asia Pacific region. The company said it will look to expand the brand into new geographies and genres, and focus on higher-margin digital online content. Steve Pearce and Steve Ackrich will lead Infinity Ward on an interim basis." The report also says: "The newest "Call of Duty" title, scheduled for release this fall, was developed by a different Activision studio, as was another title in the series expected to be released in 2011." This is expanded by Gamasutra where they confirm rumors that start-up studio Sledgehammer is working on the 2011 game, while this year's installment in the series will be created by Treyarch. According to Edge Online, Sledgehammer's contribution to the series will be an action/adventure, rather than a first-person shooter.

Binge Gamer has further information on the situation at Infinity Ward, where it's been reported studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West have been let go by Activision. The report, said to be based on anonymous sources within Activision, says that Infinity Ward has received zero royalties from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (they cannot actually confirm a royalty deal was in place, but note that *every* source they spoke with at Activision mentioned this fact), and they also say that the "breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward" Activision has claimed may have been Zampella and West contacting rival publishers about a deal. It is understood that Activision actually owns Infinity Ward, and they attempt to clarify how Infinity Ward could broker a separate deal, granting their explanation "makes zero sense," but it seems the contractual aspects of the relationship between Infinity Ward and Activision and the ownership of the Call of Duty IP are, well, complicated. Thanks VG247.

The Diablo III Wizard Page features animated character models for both the male and female versions of the Wizard class in Blizzard's upcoming action/RPG sequel. They also offer a description of the class, screenshots, concept art, and some movies showing the female wizard casting some spells. There are also some more screenshots on this page and a larger trailer showing female Wizard gameplay and cinematics. The embedded HD clip follows. Continue here to read the full story.

NPD Group announces highlights of Online Gaming 2010, the most recent report in their gaming market research, unsurprisingly showing a steady increase in time spent gaming online as well as the number of games sold through digital distribution, saying "the average number of hours spent each week on online gaming has increased 10 percent since 2009, while an average of 20 percent of all games purchased by online gamers were digitally downloaded - up from 19 percent in the 2009 study and 18 percent in the 2008 study." As they have in the past, the NPD group claims to have surveyed two-year-olds as part of this study: "Of those gamers ages 2 and older reporting that they personally play video games on at least one type of system, 54 percent report that they personally play games online, down slightly since the 2009 and 2008 studies (56 percent and 55 percent, respectively)." They also indicate the PC is the number one platform for online gaming:

The PC is still the most-used system for online gaming, with 85% of online gamers reporting using a PC for online gaming activities. Among non-PC systems, the Xbox 360 maintains its leadership for the third year in a row as the top video game system used for online gaming at 48%. In contrast to 2009, when Wii was leading over PS3 by 8 percentage points, PS3 and Wii are now neck and neck, with about 30 percent of online gamers reporting that they use each system for online gaming. This is due to an increase in use for online gaming on the part of the PS3, which increased 10 percentage points since last year. The top three systems with the highest average hrs/wk spent gaming online (using the respective systems they own) are: Xbox 360 (7.3 hrs), PC (6.6 hrs) and PS3 (5.8 hrs).

Shacknews outlines a workaround that can get Supreme Commander 2 to run under Steam for those still receiving a "game is unavailable" error when trying to launch the RTS sequel for Gas Powered Games, saying that verifying your game cache should clear this up. This can be accomplished by right clicking "Supreme Commander 2" in your Game Library then clicking Properties > Local files > Verify Integrity of Game Cache. After the verification is finished you should be able to launch the game.

Vivendi Profit Beats Estimates, Aided by Games Unit has financial reporting for Vivendi SA, where profits are up thanks to better than expected performance from Activision Blizzard. Word is: "Adjusted net income, or profit excluding one-time gains or charges, fell to 2.59 billion euros ($3.53 billion) from 2.74 billion euros in 2008, the Paris-based company said in an e- mailed statement today. Analysts had predicted profit at 2.46 billion euros, the average of 20 estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Revenue rose 6.9 percent to 27.13 billion euros, while adjusted profit per share slid 8.3 percent."

Also, Computer and Video Games notes something interesting in the company's financial filings, as they explain they have taken steps to prevent becoming embroiled in any "Hot Coffee" scandals due to hidden content in their games, saying: "We have implemented preventive measures designed to reduce the possibility of objectionable undisclosed content from appearing in the video games we publish." They add: "Nonetheless, these preventive measures are subject to human error, circumvention, overriding, and reasonable resource constraints. If a video game we publish is found to contain undisclosed content, we could be subject to any of these consequences and our reputation could be harmed, which could have a negative impact on our operating results and financial condition, and our business and financial performance could be significantly harmed."

Steam News has word (from yesterday) of a new patch that's now automatically available for DiRT 2, updating Codemasters' rally racing sequel (thanks ManZ). The quite extensive change list follows. Continue here to read the full story.

EA announces preorder bonuses to be included with Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight, including a mission called Night Moves, which should be music to the ears of Bob Seger fans (I woke last night to the sound of thunder...). Those who preorder the RTS sequel will also receive the Command & Conquer 4 soundtrack and an autographed picture of Joseph "Kane" Kucan. Here's word on the bonus mission: "‘Night Moves’ is a prequel mission, happening just 12 hours before the campaign mode officially begins in C&C 4, putting you in the role of Gideon, a Nod separatist who sees himself as the inevitable heir to Kane’s throne." A new trailer, which is embedded below, accompanies the news, showing off gameplay and cinematics from the new mission with narration from Sam Bass and Jason Bender. Continue here to read the full story.

The Battlefield Blog now offers the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 "launch" trailer, celebrating the release of DICE's military shooter sequel. The clip is posted on the YouTube, and it is accompanied by a reminder: "While we are at it, don't forget to claim your M1 Rifle for use in BFBC2 by registering your other Battlefield games at http://veteran.battlefield.com." Also, the Steam version of the game is now available for those awaiting that version to go live. Here's the embedded HD version of the trailer. Continue here to read the full story.

Ignition Entertainment announces Blacklight: Tango Down, a military first-person shooter in development at Zombie Studios first revealed about a year ago, which will be released this summer for Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. The first screenshots from the Unreal Engine 3 game accompany the announcement, as well as a teaser trailer with cinematics and snippets of gameplay. Word is:

Blacklight: Tango Down will deliver some of the most exciting multiplayer gameplay available in the shooter category and features numerous gameplay styles and functionality. These modes include traditional formats like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch & Control Point, with other modes being announced in the build up to launch.

Blacklight: Tango Down will set itself apart from other games by virtue of its incredibly deep customization features. Players will be able to alter and upgrade not only their character through experience gained on the battlefield, but also their weapons. Weapon customizations will unlock as the player gains skill and experience points and will include more basic add-ons like sniper scopes as well as more complex enhancements, such as improved accuracy.

Steam News announces that Supreme Commander 2 is now available via digital distribution, offering this real-time strategy sequel from Gas Powered Games. A playable demo for the game was released last week, and here's word on the game:

In Supreme Commander 2, players will experience brutal battles on a massive scale! Players will wage war by creating enormous customizable armies and experimental war machines that can change the balance of power at any given moment. Take the role of one of the three enigmatic commanders, each representing a unique faction with a rich story that brings a new level of emotional connection to the RTS genre, or fight the battle online. Where do your loyalties lie?

The promised patch for Global Agenda is now automatically available through Steam, updating the spy-themed MMORPG from Hi-Studios to version 1.1. The startlingly long patch notes follow. Continue here to read the full story.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is now available in North American stores, announces Electronic Arts, quoting Game Informer saying the military shooter sequel "rightfully challenges Modern Warfare for the multiplayer crown." Word is: "Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has received worldwide acclaim for its intense first-person modern warfare, spectacular destructible environments and seamless multiplayer experience supported by dedicated servers." Also, the Electronic Arts UK Community Forum has word that they've already released a day one patch (thanks LittleMe), saying: "It's slightly less than 300MB in size. Assorted fixes, some perf improvements, fov controllable via Settings.ini (fov=55 default I think) and um some other things. More info later, it would be nice with some sleep now."

G4tv.com reports on drama at Infinity Ward that includes the apparent departure of studio heads Vince Zampella and Jason West amid allegations of "breaches of contract and insubordination." The story began with G4 reporting that a bunch of "bouncer-types" showed up at the Call of Duty developer's offices following a meeting Activision held with Zampella and West (reportedly the pair were not seen in the offices following the meet). This was followed by Kotaku showing a shot of Jason West's Facebook status reading "Jason West is drinking. Also, no longer employed." Likewise, Jason West's LinkedIn Profile now lists his tenure at Infinity Ward as January 2001 – March 2010. Details on exactly what went down are still vague, but the most significant clue seems to be in an Activision SEC filing stating: "The Company is concluding an internal human resources inquiry into breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward. This matter is expected to involve the departure of key personnel and litigation. At present, the Company does not expect this matter to have a material impact on the Company."

Square Enix London Studios community manager Mike Oldman tweets about Steamworks support in Just Cause 2, the action sequel coming from Avalanche Studios later this month. In response to a question about whether the game will use Games for Windows LIVE or Steamworks, he responds: "Just Cause 2 uses Steamworks all the way." Thanks Shacknews.

2K Sports announces that Major League Baseball 2K10 is now available in U.S. stores for Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, offering a new installment in this baseball simulation series. Word is the new game "will highlight the intense battle between pitchers and hitters like never before," and true to that, they are running a competition to award a $1 million prize to the first player to pitch a virtual perfect game. The contest is only for the console versions of the game; further details can be found on this page.

BioWare Blog has a new Dragon Age – The Revelation comic written by BioWare's David Gaider and drawn by a BioWare fan named Aimo (who is a professional sketch artist). The comic is explained by Gaider as being based on a cut-scene that was cut from the game, though it is warned that this may be a spoiler for anyone who hasn't played through Dragon Age: Origins.

Gamasutra - What Is A Step Too Far? On Ubisoft's DRM Policies.
It's important to understand that this isn't the developers' fault. This is purely Ubisoft as publishers placing this down. We're not seeing this purely coming out of one of their studios; it's a universal thing, placed on every single one of their PC games. It's all about the publisher's bottom-line, and completely not about what it thinks of the PC gaming audience. It thinks piracy is hurting it, and this is its move to counter that.

And it might work. Part of the DRM is that the online connection is required because the publisher isn't shipping the entire game with the disc; part of the code is supplied by its servers, which is the reason for the constant online connection. The game disconnects when you do because it simply can't run without being online. It's not like it makes everything all right, but at least there's a reason for it.

• Metro 2033 on Games On Net.

• Sony blames leap year glitch for PlayStation troubles.
• EA Sports Plans To Digitize Madden Consumer.
• This week on Xbox LIVE Arcade: Toy Soldiers.
• God of War III Sex Scenes Almost Cut.

• Last Front- Europe Now Available on iTunes.

• NVIDIA Next-Generation ION 2 Previews on Hardware Canucks, HotHardware, Legit Reviews, PC Perspective, t-break, and TweakTown.

Thanks Ant.

• Charter Offers Free Speed Upgrades.
• Topeka, Kansas shows Google it can grovel.
• Thunderbird version 3.03 is now available.

• Why trust a hotel chain that’s had three data breaches in a year? I don't trust hotel wi-fi period.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• Microsoft to target other botnets with legal weapon.
• Network Solutions Confused About The DMCA.
• Cute baby video wins battle against music label.
• Is H.264 a legal minefield for video pros?

• Star Wars - Galactic Warfare CoD4 Mod on Games On Net.
• King Arthur - The Role-playing Wargame on ComputerGames.ro.
• Star Trek Online on ActionTrip.

• AMD’s 890GX Chipset on Hardware Canucks, HotHardware, Neoseeker, PC Perspective, and Techgage.
• AMD Phenom II x4 965 Black Edition CPU on OverclockersHQ.com.
• ASUS M4A89GTD PRO-USB3 890GX Motherboard on Hardware Secrets, OCWorkbench, Overclockers Club, Rage3D, TechSpot, and TweakTown.
• ASUS X58 Rampage III Extreme Motherboard on Legit Reviews.
• ECS A890GXM-A AMD 890GX Motherboard on OCWorkbench.
• ECS A785GM-AD3 Motherboard on Neoseeker.
• GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H 890GX Graphics Card on HEXUS.net, OCWorkbench, and Overclockers Club.
• HIS HD5570 Graphics Card on Hi-Tech Reviews.
• Kingston DataTraveler 310 256gb USB Flash Drive on Test Freaks.
• Lenovo IdeaPad U150 Laptop on Digital Trends.
• Logitech MX-620 Cordless Laser Mouse on Benchmark Reviews.
• MSI 890GXM G65 Motherboard on Guru3D.
• OCZ Technology 60GB Agility Series SATAII SSD on Futurelooks.
• OCZ Vertex Limited Edition SandForce Powered SSD on HotHardware.
• QNAP TS-259 Pro Turbo NAS on Computer & Consumer Electronic Reviews.
• Roku XR on ASE Labs.
• Thermaltake Silent 1156 Heatsink on Ninjalane.com.
• Thermaltake V3 Black ATX Mid Tower Case on BayReviews.
• XtremeGear HP-1216B CPU Cooler on PureOC.
• Zalman Z7 Plus Case on Tweaknews.

• Crisp Thinking Launches NetModerator for MMOs…
• A Brief Review of PC Gaming Manuals. Thanks Ant via Digg…

Today will be the first spring training game for the New York Mets. This is an encouraging moment for warm weather fans that winter is coming to a close soon. Here's hoping it's an encouraging moment for Mets fans too, but that's more of a stretch.

Stretched Links:	Thanks Ant and Mike Martinez.
Play:	Condition. Adventures of the Dude. Paper Warfare.
Links:	14 stars that have (shockingly) never won an Oscar. Thanks Digg. I Like To Keep This Handy, For Close Encounters. The Art of Passing Gas.
Stories:	Clackamas man exercises free speech rights by giving cops the finger. Thanks Slashdot. 5,200 Australians Bare All for Photo Shoot. Thanks brother19. Biblical scholar's date for rapture- May 21, 2011.
Science:	Snake Caught Attacking Dinosaur—First Fossil Proof. Worst fries in America.
Images:	Worst Game Ever. Thanks dakslf. Fallout in the Real World: Vault Pics.
Auction:	Stadium Events Nes game. Thanks original-gamer.com.
The Funnies:	Dad, I am considering a career in organized crime. Thanks Digg. Color Wheel. Thanks Digg.
Follow-up:	Biblical scholar's date for rapture.